Valves that utilize a valve member in the form of a ball with a passage extending from one side to another have long been known for controlling the flow of fluid. Further, it has long been desired to reduce the cost of manufacturing valve members of this type, particularly valve members of larger sizes.
It has been proposed to form a hollow sphere with a cylindrical sleeve extending through the sphere. By fabricating the valve member as a hollow sphere, the amount of steel used to make the valve member is reduced, thereby reducing manufacturing costs. However, it has been found that the hollow sphere is susceptible to being crushed when exposed to high working pressures. To overcome such susceptibility, reinforcement structures have been added between the cylindrical sleeve and the interior surface of the sphere. The inclusion of the reinforcement structures increases the cost of the valve.
To this end, a need exists for a floating ball valve member that is capable of being used in a medium to high pressure environment, yet is cost effective to manufacture and repair. It is such a valve member that the inventive concepts disclosed herein are directed.